A Hundred Steps Ahead

The One Who Fell

CHAPTER 11: The One Who Fell

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Orochimaru was once Sarutobi Hiruzen's prized student. Out of the three Sannin, it was glaringly obvious that the old man favored Orochimaru more than his former teammates. When he was young, Orochimaru would walk around the village and hear the praises from the mouths of the people. How lucky he was that he was being groomed to be the next Hokage.

But that was before everything went downhill. That was before the village – the whole world – found out about his illegal experiments. As soon as everything went down, Orochimaru escaped the village. He didn't bother with explaining or defending himself. He knew that no one would be able to understand the beauty of immortality. No one would understand how ugly it was to simply accept death.

The Fallen King. It was a moniker he grew to love. Really, it was the perfect name to describe him. Him – a person who was on his way to becoming the Kage of a great village, a legendary War Figure, a genius with intellectual capabilities revered through the frontlines. Oh, how the mighty has fallen.

His golden eyes have seen people like him. Met people like him. It was as if life liked to keep them bound together. Him, the Friend – killer Hatake Kakashi, Sharingan no Uchiha Itachi, Shunshin no Shisui, and even Shinobi no Yami Shimura Danzo. The Sannin has seen how deep they all fell from greatness, him and that council elder more so. It was fun at first, but now they were all old news. He wanted to see new blood, the one who'll fall next because they always do. Sooner or later, the Greats always fall.

Now, he's excited to see how far she'll fall.

"You are Haruno Sakura, correct?" The snake grinned, not at all worried that a genin Nara boy had managed to stop him from putting a Cursed Seal by using his clan's famous technique.

"And you are the Snake Sannin. I'm not pleased to meet you." The pinkette quipped as she retrieved Sasuke's bruised body and helped him lean on a tree beside Shikamaru. From afar, Shino had managed to get both Hinata and an unconscious Naruto to a safe distance away from the psycho.

Orochimaru chuckled, "Tell me, how high will you let yourself fall?" He asked before he let out a strong gust of wind that knocked the nearby trio away from him, effectively making Shikamaru drop his Kagemane no Jutsu.

"Shikamaru, continue with the plan!" Sakura called out as she slapped a chakra seal on the branch she was currently on, a good few meters away from the Sannin.

"Got it," Shikamaru turned to throw Sasuke's arm over his shoulder.

"Oi, you're going to leave her here?" Sasuke protested as he tried to look back to the pinkette, "Are you out of your mind, Nara? We don't leave our teammates behind!"

"We're doing this to help your team. Stop whining and believe in us." Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he followed Shino, who was carrying an unconscious Naruto, and Hinata. "She beat your ass back at the Academy, don't underestimate my teammate."

X

"Let's have a little chat, little princess." Orochimaru grinned as he watched the pinkette from his position below the tree branch she was on. "You made my cute, little prey escape before I had the chance to give him my gift. This is the least that you can do."

"I'd rather not, Fallen King." She threw back a taunt of her own. She knew that she was severely outclassed, but she had to buy some time for Shikamaru and the rest to get far away from wherever this place was.